About what, you ask? You, AYMB’s supposedly loyal readers.

See, while you noodle your way through Mental Mondays, feast your eyes on Foodie Fridays, and indulge all things in between, there is one thing you seem to have overlooked: The Yip Yips petition. What gives?

I grew up on Sesame Street, but cannot for the life of me remember the Yip Yips. It seems that Sesame Street ran Yip Yips segments only intermittently and only for a couple select years. Thanks to the intersection of YouTube and copyright infringement, however, I discovered the Yip Yips belatedly in between train-crossing segments on YouTube (search for “five engine train,” “SP4999” or “Minto Brown” to find clips whose conclusions will cause violent tantrums in most male toddlers).

These little alien dudes rock.

Toddlers eat up the Yip Yips because they make funny sounds; parents love them because they’re super clever and, at bottom, educational. Leave it to Sesame Street to bridge that generation gap better than almost any other show. But, alas, the Yip Yips went the way of Dynasty, only without any of the “Who shot JR?” fanfare.

At launch, Aimee took it upon herself to draw readers’ attention back to the daily Yip Yips deprivation that Sesame Street works on kids today. She wrote this article embedding the above fun video clip, started this petition, commissioned me to hack-up a sidebar button encouraging folks to read/watch the former and sign their name to the latter, and even reached out to this Facebook user and this Facebook group, which, together, boast almost 8,000 members.

Only 27 33 people have signed the petition so far. What gives? While AYMB ain’t TMZ, it certainly has magnitudes more readers than that single score of signatories.

So, for the love of God, people. For the children. For the future. For all things holy. Sign the petition, would you?

Please forward, retweet, beg, borrow, steal, cajole…whatever it takes. Future generations will thank you.

P.S. What do you think of the new Mental Monday and Foodie Friday header “buttons”?

As I start blogging my way into a 2nd month of Ain’t Yo Mama’s Blog, I have some very exciting stuff coming up that I would love to share with you all.

Gimme Gimme!

First, I have more give-aways coming up! I know give-aways are quite popular (duh) and I enjoy them, too. Just like almost every other parent I know, I am a big consumer of all things kid-related. When I need to shop for my kid, especially if it’s for a big-ticket item, I depend on other parents for product reviews and feedback.  I like to do the same for other parents. I have been a long-time reviewer on websites like www.yelp.com (two-time Elite!) and consumer websites like www.amazon.com, so writing reviews is nothing new to me. I have always loved spreading the word about an incredible restaurant, service, product, or company. I don’t believe that reviews and give-aways diminish the primary purpose and perspective of a blogger.  I believe reviews and give-aways can actually enhance the content of a blog.  To know me and my blog is to also know the stuff I like to buy and gift to others.

One final and very important note about that: in the few years I have been reviewing online, I have never ever ever been paid or sponsored in any way. Although, to be perfectly honest, I have been given free frozen yogurt as a thank you for a good review. If, in the future I am paid or sponsored, I will disclose that information. I will always be honest about the products I love and the products I despise.  I didn’t start blogging to make a few bucks or get free stuff. However, I must admit that frozen yogurt usually works well.

Mama Needs a Break Sometimes: Guest Bloggers/Writers

In other exciting news, I will be featuring some fabulous guest bloggers and writers in the upcoming weeks. My guests will be discussing a wide range of topics, from craft projects and recipes to philanthropy and therapy. There will even be a guest post from the Dude himself. I am very excited to showcase a diverse array of people talking about some very interesting things. Things that I know most parents will appreciate. I know I’m excited!

Keep in Touch

I know you’re out there, readers. I don’t know who all of you are (other than you, Mom), but I know you come from all over the world. Feel free to post a comment if something speaks to you or drop a line via the contact form on the menu bar. The readers that have already been in touch know that I will always respond. I would love to hear from you.

Oh, one last thing. For the love of all things muppets, if you love the Yip Yips as much as I do than please read and sign my petition! Our kids deserve more Yip Yips in their lives!

Like so many other people born in the 1970′s, I grew up with you. In fact, from the period of 1979 to 1984, I have no other television memory except for you and Mr. Rogers. Oh, and the Thriller video. But, really, most of my TV viewing was all about you.

Until my own kid started watching your show late last year, it had been a really long time since I had viewed a Sesame Street episode. I was quite impressed with all the updated features and new characters. What was even more cool was to see all the characters from my youth: Cookie Monster! The Count! Grover! Big Bird! Oscar the Grouch! Snuffy! Wow…even Gordon?!?

But, I have to ask… Where are the Yip Yips?

As the Yip Yips age quietly on a dusty shelf in your storage room, thousands (nay, millions!) of people are wondering why the Yip Yips disappeared from the show.

Perhaps your producers think the Yip Yips aren’t educational enough for the show. If that’s the case, let me present this argument: Like toddlers, the Yip Yips are new to Earth. They are both trying to figure out their surroundings and to learn about all these new and strange objects. As the Yip Yips discover new things, the toddlers watching will also be able to do the same.

Or perhaps you think the Yip Yips aren’t cute enough or that they may scare small children. Well, yeah, I guess they’re not as cute as Elmo or Abby, but they are cute.  And for those who might say that they’re scary?  Well,  they certainly can’t be scarier than Oscar the Grouch with his bad attitude or Cookie Monster with his crazy eyes. I have a lot of fond memories of the Yip Yips and I know I’m not the only one. No other character could quite make me giggle with glee like the Yip Yips, and no other character even comes close to being as silly or as fun.

Yeah, I’m even talkin’ to you, Elmo.

Since my 23-month-old kid can’t watch the Yip Yips on Sesame Street, I have shown him the old-school clips from YouTube numerous times. I have honestly never heard him giggle so much from watching anything (other than me). He loves them almost as much as I do.

So, on behalf of nostalgic Generation X and Y parents, I beg, plead — and hereby formally petition — for you, beloved Sesame Street, to bring back the silly, lovable, altogether adorable, and, yes, educational, Yip Yips back to your show. The new generation of Sesame Street viewers deserve to have wonderful Yip Yip memories, too.

Regards,